Lady's Paphiopedilum - Origin, Classification and General Characteristics

Lady's Slipper Orchid is a special orchid genus originating from Asia, possessing a middle lip shaped like a slipper, quite rare and highly collectible.

Among the colorful and mysterious world of orchids, the Lady's Slipper orchid is known as one of the orchids with the most unique and impressive appearance, with the flower lip looking like a slipper in ancient fairy tales. It is this special feature that has attracted a lot of attention from rare orchid collectors.

In today's article, let's learn more about the origin, characteristics and some special species of lady's slipper orchid to know why this orchid genus is so attractive.

Overview of the genus Lady's Slipper Orchid

Lady's Slipper Orchid is a genus of orchids with a distinctive flower shape.

The scientific name of the Venus slipper orchid is Paphiopedilum spp. or also known as the slipper orchid or slipper orchid. This is one of the orchid genera with a very special flower shape that looks like the slippers or shoes of ancient women.

Lady's Paphiopedilum is native to tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, common in some countries such as:

• Southeast Asia : Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia,...
• East Asia : Taiwan, China
• South Asia : Bhutan, India

Vietnam is the country with the most species of lady's slipper orchids in Southeast Asia with more than 20 recorded species of slipper orchids, including some very rare lines such as pink slipper orchids, yellow slipper orchids, moldy slipper orchids, pearl slipper orchids,...

However, due to the high value of orchid species in the genus Lady's Slipper, they are increasingly overexploited, and some species are on the brink of extinction and are on the CITES list - Need to control international trade.

General characteristics of the genus Lady's Slipper orchid

Orchids in the genus Lady's Slipper have a flower lip that looks like a slipper.

Although the genus Venus Slipper orchid has many different species, they all have one outstanding feature in common in terms of morphology, which is the flower lip shaped like a slipper - this is also the reason for the name "Venus Slipper". Let's learn about some of the outstanding features of this orchid genus.

Slipper-shaped flower lips :

• The flower lips develop into a bulging sac that looks like an ancient woman's shoe.
• This special structure also helps orchids "trap" insects to increase pollination efficiency.

Asymmetrical petals :

• There is one upper wing and two lower wings.
• Wings can be slightly curled, elongated or wavy.
• The upper wings are usually large and brightly colored.

Leaves :

• Leaves grow in clusters and are either solid green or mottled/striped.
• Some lines have shiny, thick leaves.

Living environment :

• Distributed in Southeast Asia.
• Often grows in limestone mountains, mountain slopes,...

Biological behavior :

• Long-lasting flowers can stay fresh for 2 - 3 weeks depending on the climate.
• Usually blooms in spring or dry season.
• Insect pollination

The most popular species of lady's slipper orchids in Vietnam

Below are some of the most popular orchid species in Vietnam, let's learn more.

Red Paphiopedilum delenatii

Red orchid pots with unique beauty.

Red slipper orchid is an endemic orchid species that only appears in Vietnam, first discovered in Khanh Hoa province, possessing a graceful and pure beauty.

Characteristics of red orchid :

• Upper petals : Elliptical, pure white, slightly flared
• Two petals on both sides : White, round, symmetrical, soft
• Flower lips : Round shoe shape, light purple pink, the middle of the lips has a very prominent dark yellow mixed with red.
• Flower stalk : Long, dark, usually about 20 cm long, each flower cluster has only 1 - 2 flowers.
• Leaves : Lanceolate, light green with many characteristic silver spots.
• Distribution : Northeast Vietnam with altitude from 800 - 1300 meters.

This is also one of the most popular and sought-after orchid species in Vietnam because of its special appearance and color.

Vietnamese Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum vietnamense)

A Vietnamese orchid with characteristic color and shape.

This is also a species of slipper orchid endemic to northern Vietnam, discovered in the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam around 1990.

Characteristics of Vietnamese orchids :

• Upper petals : Triangular, light pink mixed with white, color gradually darkens towards the edge, edge slightly curved, pointed tip, covered with a layer of fine hairs.
• Two side wings : Light purple pink, slightly drooping, looks very soft, covered with a layer of down.
• Lip : Deep purple pink with a creamy yellow or light green center, resembling a round shoe.
• Leaves : Long, slender, silvery green and mottled, similar to red slipper orchids but leaves are thicker and shorter.

Vietnamese Paphiopedilum is now a critically endangered species due to its very limited distribution range and over-exploitation.

Paphiopedilum callosum

A slipper orchid has a special color and shape.

Paphiopedilum callosum is a species of orchid found in Vietnam and Malaysia. According to many scientific studies, Paphiopedilum callosum not only possesses unique beauty but also gives many positive results in treating cancer in humans.

Characteristics of slipper orchid:

• Upper petals : White background with clear dark purple-pink stripes, turning to a very eye-catching dark blue near the middle of the petal.
• Two side wings : Thin, long and tapering downwards, light brownish green in color gradually changing to light purple-pink, with many fine hairs on the surface of the wings and spines on the edges.
• Lips : Slipper-shaped, deep purple-red, glossy

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum

Close-up of a strikingly beautiful flower.

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum, scientifically known as Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum, is one of the most unique and recognizable species of orchid thanks to a layer of fine hairs covering the petals and flower stalks. It often grows in limestone mountains with high humidity such as Northwest Vietnam, Laos and China.

Characteristics of hairy orchid :

• Upper petals : Rounded triangular shape, light yellow-green, with many tiny dark purple-pink spots, slightly wavy edges.

• Two wings on both sides : Long, tapering downwards, the tip is purple-pink while the base gradually turns yellow-green, the edges of the wings are wavy, have many dark red dots, covered with a layer of small, smooth hairs.

• Flower lips : Shaped like an upside-down shoe, pinkish-brown in color, compact and slightly shiny.

Appleton's Paphiopedilum appletonianum

Close-up of an Appleton slipper orchid.

Appleton's slipper orchid, also known as Thai slipper orchid, white slipper orchid, scientific name is Paphiopedilum appletonianum. It is a species of slipper orchid widely distributed from Vietnam, Thailand to Cambodia, has a graceful appearance, classic color so it is very popular with orchid collectors.

Characteristics of Appleton's slipper orchid :

• Upper petals : Light green vertical fan-shaped, with dark lines.

• Two side wings : Long, thin, extending horizontally to both sides, light purple-pink color, base of wings has purple-black spots, surface has a slight velvet sheen.

• Lip : Characteristic round shape, slightly greenish copper brown color, with mesh cracks, thick, shiny edges.

Price list of lady's slipper orchids

Most orchids in the genus Lady's Slipper orchid are quite expensive because they are very rare. Please refer to the following price list for more details.

Note : The above price list is for reference only because the price will change depending on the time and the store, so for the most accurate information, please contact the flower shop or seller directly.

Beautiful lady slipper orchid pictures

Right below we have collected many beautiful pictures of different orchid species in the genus Lady's Slipper orchid, please admire to know the richness of this special genus of slipper orchid.

Pink slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum Micranthum) with giant slipper lips.

Paphiopedilum tranlienianum orchid pots with special shapes and colors.

Image of peacock slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum Gratrixianum) with colorful, eye-catching colors.

Paphiopedulum Malipoense with unusual blue color.

Paphiopedilum Emersoni orchid with outstanding white and yellow tones.

A Paphiopedilum canhii orchid with an impressive “lip”.

So, above orchid-vn.com has shared with you detailed information about the slipper orchid - a genus of orchids with a unique shape with the flower lip shaped like a slipper. Hopefully through this you have understood and learned more about many unique flowers in the slipper orchid genus.

If you want to discover more orchids and other special orchid species, don't forget to visit our Blog section right away so you don't miss out on more interesting articles.